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Splicers
Splicers™ is a new science fiction role-playing game set on a devastated world where machines rule, and human beings are vermin who are hunted and exterminated. The human struggle is complicated by a nano-virus that instantly turns metal objects touched by human flesh into killing machines. Consequently, humans have been forced to turn to organic technology to battle the world-dominating machines if they hope to reclaim any portion of their planet back for themselves. * The human resistance, their genetically spliced weapons and power armor, secret cities and plans to retake their world. * The machine mind that rules from on high and commands its robot legions like a psychotic general. * The nano-plague and its ramifications. * Human O.C.C.s, strongholds and world background. * A new, stand-alone role-playing game heavy on science fiction. * Mega-Damage system – compatible with Rifts®, Chaos Earth™, and Phase World®. Cat. No. 200 Page Count: 224 pages. Cover: Mark Evans. Interior Art: Clark, Dudley, Walton, Okamura and others. Written by: Carmen Bellaire with additional text and rules by Kevin Siembieda. Description and cover art from Palladium Books Web site, copyright 2004 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved. Rifts®, Megaverse® and Palladium Books® are registered trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. and Kevin Siembieda. All other titles and names are trademarks of Palladium Books. Under Construction The Setting The setting of Splicers is described on pages 6 to 22, mostly in the form of memories by members of the human resistance. The history, and the Brief World Overview describes the world, in which the computer systems designed to protect mankind and given oversight of the population. This computer, NEXUS, was eventually given contradictory orders, which led its systems to rebel against itself, splintering the computer into multiple personalities, and wage war upon mankind. Eventually, the computer system came to the conclusion that mankind's greatest threat was its use of the technology that allowed it to create the computer system and high-tech weapons, so it created the Nanobot Plague. This cloud of nanites infects all the people of the world and prevents them from using any metal device, or even touching scraps of metal, without dangerous side effects. Only a small population, the Technojackers, were immune to the Nanobot Plague and can use high-tech devices without repercussion. Enemies The Machine, NEXUS, and her minions (Drones and Robots) are described on pages 24 to 65. In addition to NEXUS and her multiple personalities, the following NPCs are described: ; Drones * Nex-Androids * Labor/Maintenance Drones * Necroborgs * Necrobots * Rat Bombs ; Robots * Assault Slayer * Battle Track * Cable Snake * Flying Strike Ship * Hunter-Searcher Probe * Land Dominator * Popper Mine * Repair Wagon * Sentry Tower * Sewer Prowler * Skitter Pod * Sky Fighter * Slicer Robot * Steel Trooper * Transport Platform * Mini-Transport Platform The weapons of the machines are also described: ; NEXUS Weapons * Robot Ion Pistol * Robot Laser Pistol * Robot Pulse-Laser Assault Rifle * Robot Laser & Grenade Assault Rifle * Robot Grenade Mini-Gun * Light Robot Rail Gun * Robot Plasma Cannon The Machine uses the standard Palladium Missiles and Explosives. The Nanobot Plague, which could be considered the ultimate weapon of NEXUS, is described on pages 9 to 12. The Characters The Human Resistance, their classes, weapons, and abilities on pages 65 to 167. Splicers™ includes the following Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.s): ; Human Resistance O.C.C.s * Archangel * Biotic * Dreadguard * Outrider * Packmaster * Roughneck * Saint * Scarecrow * Skinjob * Technojacker Bio-technology Mankind has used their advanced sciences to combat the Machine, even without the use of metal. Biotechnology has arisen, by combining DNA strands from thousands of know species, and mutating the resulting strains, organic weapons and armor can be created that rival power armor and robots in their power and abilities. Even mundane equipment, unusable in is normal form due to the Plague, can be emersed in a bacteria solution that changes it to resin, and thus safe for human use. Equipment The most intriguing type of equipment is the Host Armor. This section features an intriguing variation of Palladium's Bio-E system, originally used to create mutant animals for the Bomb], but modified here to create living power armor! The other types of living weapons are War Mounts, which are living creatures that are used as vehicles and companions. The following War Mounts are described in Splicers™. ; War Mounts * Behemoth * Dracos * Gorehounds * Grendel * Horses * Mega-Horses * Leviathan * Striders * Zephyr The standard currency of the Human Resistance are micro-computer discs, left over from mankind's age of enlightnment. These discs contain information recorded from the great archives of the world, and their value varies depending on what they may contain. However, mankind has (at least temporarily) lost the ability to access the information on these discs, making them an once valuable for their potential, and worthless in their current situation. The equipment described in the Splicers base book includes the following: ; Bio-tech Devices * Bio-Comms * Eye Pod * Face Wrap * Slap Patch The Human Resistance uses traditional weapons, although most of them are treated with a biological agent that transforms them from metal and wood to an organic resin. They also utilize weapons, that like the Host Armor, is developed by Biotechnology. ; Bio-Tech Melee Weapons * Acid Edged Blades * Concussion Staves * High-Frequency Blades * Spiked Hammers * Mass Impact Hammers * Mass Impact Cleavers * Tentacle Scourges ; Bio-Tech Ranged Weapons * Acid Scorchers * Bio-Energy Rifles * Bio-Energy Pistols * Bore Pistols * Bore Rifles * Burners * Electro-Pulse Guns * Light Cell Laser Pistols * Light Cell Laser Rifles * Pod Pistols * Pod Rifles * Shard Rifles * Bio-Rocket Slingers ; Bio-Tech Explosives * Bio-Tech Explosives Personal Body Armor comes in two varieties; non-metallic traditional armor, and Bio-tech. The following body armor is described: ; Common Armor * Miracle Fiber Armor * Plastic Armor * Ceramic Armor * Poor Man's Genetically Enhanced Leather Armor ; Bio-Tech Armor * Chitinous Armor * Dragon Scale Armor * Heavy Hide Armor * Leatherback Armor * Proto-Host Armor * Wing Pack And don't forget the Host Armor! Rules and Game Information A large section of the Splicers book is dedicated to the rules for running the a Role-Playing Game. Pages 168 to 224 contains all of the rules for creating a character, learning and using skills, dealing with insanity, combat, and general information about running a role-playing game. While the Rifts Wiki does not describe rules for role-playing, descriptions of skills and abilities can be found on the following pages: ; Skills * Communication Skills * Domestic Skills * Electrical Skills * Espionage Skills * Horsemanship Skills * Mechanical Skills * Medical Skills * Military Skills * Physical Skills * Pilot Skills * Pilot Related Skills * Rogue Skills * Science Skills * Technical Skills * Weapon Proficiencies * Wilderness Skills ; Glossary * Glossary of Terms * Role-playing game terms on Wikipedia Artwork Cover Painting: A human in Proto-Host Armor, battling a robot, by Mark Evans. Interior Art: The interior black and white artwork includes work by Clark, Dudley, Walton, Okamura and others. Under Construction * Under Construction In addition to notes in each O.C.C. description, Splicers features two sections dedicated to working with characters moving in and out of the Splicers setting. In 'Crossing Dimensions' on page 13, this talks about the effect of the Nanobot Plague on characters entering or leaving the world. There is also a section on pages 167-168, 'Characters from Other Palladium Games' that discusses the impact of the non-magical environment on characters with magic and psionic abilities, and using these characters throughout the Megaverse. Category:Non-Rifts Sourcebooks Category:Splicers